Really need advice. Becoming a trucker?

I always say you can expect to drive about 120,000 miles a year. So that gives you some idea of pay and how much driving you will really do. Say 120,000 x$0.44 cents per mile is $52,000. That's working 70 hours a week usually or close to that and 11-14 hours a day

 

Don't forget accessorial pays.

 

Like that infamous, elusive "detention pay" of $1.50 an hour, but only after 53 continuous hours??

 

Most high quality companies pay detention after 1 or 2 hours.
I don't know of any companies where a driver will make only $52K per year. Those days are long gone.
Most new cdl school grads, after all training is completed, can make $60K - $70K. Any drivers making less than that need to re-evaluate where they are working, unless they're content with their pay.

 

Yes.
There are only so many hours in the day that you're able to drive now with ELogs. However, I wouldn't let that discourage you.

 

that doesn’t sound appealing at all.

 

Down right depressing...

 

What is going on politically. I wouldn’t invest in a taco cart in this country. Everything going down the drain.
I’d take what you have. Put it in gold.
I’m surprised railroad cut back on covid. Trucking not affected.
Driving is ok. Don’t get into reefer madness. You should be more in demand if you’ll drive New England. Many won’t.

 

I don't hear a lot of drivers quitting because they are making $60,000+ a year. Most drivers seem to quit because of low pay and long hours. If someone averages 2,500 miles a week and works 50 weeks a year that 125,000 miles a year. Swift is probably paying $0.36 per mile. I looked and they don't seem to advertise their pay. You have call recruiter. When I did reefer loads we had nice 2,500 mile trips but it took 5-6 hour to load and then unload. So that 10-12 hours or basically 1 day lost of driving.

Maybe drivers are running more miles today on ELD vs paper logs. I don't believe that's happen. I get $0.48 cents per mile and struggle to make $66,000 a year. I run regional.

 

I think Swift Refrigerated starts new drivers at .41 cpm, plus accessorial pays on top of that.